Play facility for remote operation system

ABSTRACT

A play facility for a remote-control system including a transmitter  2  and a drive device  1  remote-controlled by drive data transmitted by the transmitter. The play facility includes a scramble signal generating device  106  which generates scramble signals to interfere with the remote control of the drive device by the transmitter, a scramble signal outputting device  55  which outputs the scramble signals to the play field, and a scramble signal control devices  100, 104  which switches between output and termination of the scramble signals from the scramble signal outputting device according to predetermined conditions.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a play facility in which a player canenjoy a remote-control system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a toy which can be driven by remote control and personalized(hereinafter referred to as “personal use remote-control toy”), a playerhas enjoyed the personal use remote-control toy in the closed world suchthat the player has used a portion in a house or out of doors to play arace or the like with player's friends or acquaintances.

Therefore, the players often enjoy the personal use remote-control toywith the same partners in the same place, and the player is likely to besatiated with the personal use remote-control toy in the end. Theso-called power player who has acquired operation skill to a certainlevel has no place where to exhibit the skill more than the certainlevel, so that it is also difficult to keep the power player's interest.

However, even if large-scale facilities are prepared in order to attractinterest of the player, since the personal use remote-control toy isconfigured for the personal use, the personal use remote-control toy hasa problem that output is weak and the personal use remote-control toycan not correspond to the large-scale facilities. When anyone canutilize the large-scale facilities by bringing on the device owned by aperson, there is also generated the problem that management on the playfacility side providing the field where the personal use remote-controltoy can be operated can not become economically viable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide aplay facility in which permission and prohibition of the use can becontrolled according to predetermined conditions, in order that thepersonal use remote-control toy can be operated in large scalefacilities away from day-to-day life, acquired play skills can beexhibited on the commercial facility, and profits can be expected by theperson who provides the play field.

The invention solves the problems by a play facility for aremote-control system to provide a play field for the remote-controlsystem including a transmitter and a drive device remote-controlled bydrive data transmitted from the transmitter. The play facility includesa scramble signal generating device which generates scramble signals tointerfere with the remote control of the drive device by thetransmitter; a scramble signal outputting device which outputs thescramble signals to the play field; and a scramble signal control devicewhich switches between output and termination of the scramble signalsfrom the scramble signal outputting device according to predeterminedconditions.

This enables the provision of the play facility in which the permissionand the prohibition for the utilization of the play field configured tocorrespond with the remote-control system can be switched according tothe predetermined conditions.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is alsopossible that the scramble signal control device determines whether thepredetermined conditions are satisfied, and the scramble signal controldevice terminates the output of the scramble signals when it isdetermined that the predetermined conditions are satisfied.

This enables the provision of the play facility in which permits onlythe player who satisfies the predetermined conditions to utilize theplay field when the predetermined conditions are previously set.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible toinclude a drive data relay device which inputs the drive data outputfrom the transmitter, determines whether the predetermined conditionsare satisfied, and outputs the drive data toward the play filed when itis determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

Therefore, even if the output of the transmitter is weak and the outputdrive data does not reach the whole play field, the drive data can beamplified and output to the play field, and the player can perform theremote control independently of the size of the play field.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible thatthe scramble signal control device has an output switching device whichselectively switches between relay of the drive data with the drive datarelay device and output of the scramble signals toward the play fieldaccording to the predetermined condition.

Therefore, the scramble signals are output when the use of the playfield is prohibited, and the drive data is output when the use of theplay field is permitted. Since either the scramble signal or the drivedata is selectively output, the switching control is effectivelyperformed by the play facility.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, it is alsopossible that the remote-control system is the system where a pluralityof drive devices provided by the drive device is remote-controlledindividually by each of a plurality of transmitters, each preparedcorresponding to each of the drive devices, the drive data transmittedby each of the plurality of transmitters includes identificationinformation, which is unique to each transmitter for identifying itself,and control information for controlling the drive device, and each ofthe plurality of drive devices compares the identification informationincluded in the received drive data with identification informationallocated to itself to determine whether the received drive data is thedrive data transmitted to itself, and performs operation control basedon the drive data when it is determined that the received drive data isthe drive data transmitted to itself.

Therefore, the remote-control system, in which the plurality of drivedevices one-to-one corresponds to the plurality of transmitters and theplurality of drive devices can be individually remote-controlled at thesame time, can be applied to the play facility of the invention.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible thatthat the scramble signal generating device generates the scramblesignals for interfering with the remote control by the transmitter towhich a particular identification information is allocated.

Therefore, in the remote-control system in which the plurality of drivedevices one-to-one corresponds to the plurality of transmitters and theplurality of drive devices can be individually remote-controlled at thesame time, it is possible to interfere with the remote control of thedrive device which is driven by the particular transmitter andcorresponds to the transmitter.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, it is alsopossible that each of the plurality of transmitters comprises a devicewhich receives the drive data transmitted from other transmitters, atransmission timing device which sets transmission timing of the owndrive data based on the identification information included in thereceived drive data, and transmits the drive data according to the settransmission timing, and a suspending device which detemrines whetherthe identification information included in the drive data transmittedfrom other transmitters is identical to the identification informationset in itself, and suspends the setting of the transmission timing bythe timing setting device until the drive data including theidentification information different from the own identificationinformation is received when the identification information included inthe drive data transmitted from other transmitters is identical to theidentification information set in itself, wherein the scramble signalsincludes the identification information.

The signal including the identification information of the transmitterwhich is the subject of the interference can be used as the scramblesignal, since the transmitter which receives the drive data includingthe own identification information utilizes the timing setting devicewhich suspends the transmission of the own drive data.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, it is possiblethat the scramble signal control device terminates the output of thescramble signals within a range according to dropped value.

Therefore, the player who has dropped the predetermined value ispermitted to use the play field of the present invention. For example, acoin, a medal, a token, a pre-paid card, and electronic money arethought as the value applied to the present invention, and the presentinvention can contribute to profits of a play facility provider.

One embodiment of the invention can solve the problems by a playfacility for a remote-control system by providing a play field for aremote-control system including a transmitter and a drive deviceremote-controlled by drive data transmitted from the transmitter. Theplay facility includes a drive data inputting device which inputs thedrive data output from the transmitter; a drive data outputting devicewhich outputs the drive data toward the play field; and a drive datarelay device which relays the drive data input by the drive datainputting device to the drive data outputting device, when predeterminedconditions are satisfied.

Therefore, whether the drive data output from the transmitter is relayedto output the drive data to the play field can correspond to thepermission and the prohibition of the use of the play field. That is,when the predetermined condition is satisfied, the relay is performed toenable the provision of the play facility in which the use of the playfield is permitted.

It is also possible that the remote-control system is a system whereeach of a plurality of drive devices provided by the drive device isremote-controlled individually by each of a plurality of transmitters,each prepared corresponding to each of the drive devices, the drive datatransmitted by each of the plurality of transmitters includesidentification information, which is unique to each transmitter foridentifying itself, and control information for controlling the drivedevice, and each of the plurality of drive devices compares theidentification information included in the received drive data withidentification information allocated to itself to determine whether thereceived drive data is the drive data transmitted to itself, andperforms operation control based on the drive data when it is determinedthat the received drive data is the drive data transmitted to itself.

Therefore, one embodiment of the invention can be applied to theremote-control system, in which the plurality of drive devicescorrespond one-to-one to the plurality of transmitters and the pluralityof drive devices can be individually remote-controlled at the same time.

It is also possible that the drive data relay device relays the drivedata having a particular identification information to the drive dataoutputting device.

Therefore, in the remote-control system in which the plurality of drivedevices correspond one-to-one to the plurality of transmitters and theplurality of drive devices can be individually remote-controlled at thesame time, it is possible to permit only the use of the particulartransmitter satisfying the predetermined condition and the drive devicecorresponding to the particular transmitter.

It is also possible that the drive data relay device relays the drivedata within a range according to dropped value. Therefore, only theplayer who has dropped the predetermined value is permitted to use theplay field of the present invention.

In another embodiment of the present invention, it is possible that,when a predetermined race is held by the plurality of drive devices inthe play field, the drive device has a transmission source which sendsthe identification information allocated to itself, the play field hasat least one reception terminal which receives contents of the sendingat at least one predetermined place, and the remote-control system has arace management device which determines whether each of the drivedevices participating in the race passes through the predeterminedplaces based on the data received by the reception terminals, andmanages the data concerning wins and losses of the race. Therefore, thecar race can be performed by the remote control.

It is also possible that the race management device returns a refund ofthe value according to the result in the race. Therefore, player'sinterest and aspiration for the car race can be enhanced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of a configuration of a remote-control system inthe present invention;

FIG. 2A shows an example of the configuration of a play facility inwhich a car race can takes place by the remote-control system shown inFIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an expanded view of a station portion in the playfacility;

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a control circuitincluded in the play facility in the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a procedure of switch control which is executed by thecontrol circuit included in the play facility in the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a procedure of game control which is executed by thecontrol circuit included in the play facility in the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of the remote-control system ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a circuit configuration of a transmitter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 shows one block of drive data transmitted from the transmitter ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 9 shows a circuit configuration of a control system mounted on adrive device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 shows how to manage transmission timings when four transmittersare simultaneously used;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the procedure from power-on to start oftransmission of own data, which is executed by the control circuit inthe transmitter of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the procedure of a normal operation tobe executed by the control circuit in the transmitter of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2A show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is anexample of a configuration of the remote-control system in the presentinvention. A drive device 1 is configured to be an automobile model, andthe drive device 1 is driven by drive data output from a transmitter 2.FIG. 2A shows an example of the configuration of a play facility 67 inwhich a car race can take place by the remote-control system.

A concrete flow until the start of the game utilizing the play facility67 is as follows:

Scramble signals are output from boosters 55 . . . 55 in an overallcircuit 66 until a predetermined amount of medals are dropped.Therefore, a player can not remote-control the drive device 1 in thecircuit 66 until the player drops the predetermined amount of medals. Ina station 56 corresponding to the identification number of the player'sdrive device 1, the player drops the number of medals required for raceentry from a medal input port 65 to connect the not connected side of acode 64 with a transmitter output unit 61 in the transmitter 2 owned bythe player. After the predetermined amount of medals are dropped, thescramble signals output from the boosters 55 . . . 55 are terminated tooutput if the other player dose not operate the drive device 1 havingthe same identification information as the player. Therefore, the playercan start to play the game by the remote control. Then, the boosters 55. . . 55 output drive data from the transmitter 2 instead of thescramble signals, which allows the player to remote-control the drivedevice 1 in a circuit course 51.

The drive device 1, the transmitter 2, and the play facility 67 will besequentially described in detail below.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic configuration of the remote-control system inthe present invention. In FIG. 6, it is assumed that three drive devices1 . . . 1 are remote-controlled in the same place.

The transmitters 2 . . . 2 are prepared in one-to-one correspondence foreach drive device 1. The numbers 1 to 3 are set as identificationnumbers for the drive devices 1 . . . 1 and the transmitter 2. The drivedevice 1 and the transmitter 2 which are designated by the sameidentification number are paired. Each drive device 1 isremote-controlled based on the drive data from the transmitterdesignated by the same identification number. An electromagnetic wavesuch as infrared and radio wave is utilized for the remote-control ofeach drive device 1. Therefore, a remote-control signal light-emissionunit 3 is mounted on each transmitter 2 and a remote-control signallight-reception unit 4 is mounted on each drive device 1. Further, inorder to provide synchronization of data transmission from eachtransmitter 2, a remote-control signal light-reception unit 5 is mountedon each transmitter 2.

FIG. 7 shows a circuit configuration of the transmitter 2. While theremote-control signal light-emission unit 3 and the remote-controlsignal light-reception unit 5 are provided in the transmitter 2, acontrol circuit 10 which generates the drive data to be transmitted andcontrols other circuits, an input device 11 such as an operation key, aswitch, and a volume control for controlling the operation of the drivedevice 1, and a switch 12 for setting the identification number areprovided in the transmitter 2. An input circuit 13 detects an operationstate of the input device 11 by an operator, and operation signalsaccording to the operation state of the input device 11 are input fromthe input circuit 13 to the control circuit 10. The identificationnumber set by an identification number setting switch 12 is read by thecontrol circuit 10. By the identification number setting switch 12, itis also possible that an arbitrary identification number is selectedfrom a predetermined range determined by the operator or a systemmanager, or it is also possible that the identification number ispreviously fixed to the specified number by a manufacturer of thetransmitter 2.

The remote-control signal light-emission unit 3 is configured to includelight emitting means such as LED, and emits infrared or the likeaccording to direction from a transmission circuit 14. The transmissioncircuit 14 outputs transmit data to the remote-control signallight-emission unit 3 according to a timing directed from an outputtiming generation circuit 15. The data output to the remote-controlsignal light-emission unit 3 is generated in the control circuit 10. Thetransmission circuit 14 performs modulation with remote-control signalcarrier signals to the data generated in the control circuit 10 to drivethe remote-control signal light-emission unit 3. The output timinggeneration circuit 15 counts the time according to a timer setting valuegiven from the control circuit 10. When the time corresponding to thetimer setting value has elapsed, the output timing generation circuit 15outputs a transmission direction to the transmission circuit 14. Notethat frequencies of the carrier signals output from the remote-controlsignal light-emission units 3 are identical in all the transmitters 2 inthis embodiment, but it is possible to the frequency as theidentification information of the transmitter 2 by changing thefrequency depending on the transmitter 2.

The remote-control signal light-reception unit 5 receives the infraredor the like transmitted from another transmitter 2 and outputs thesignals, in which a carrier component is removed from the receivedinfrared or the like, to a reception circuit 16. The reception circuit16 decodes the signals given from the remote-control signallight-reception unit 5 into the drive data of one block to output thedrive data to a reception data judgement circuit 17. In this case, asshown in FIG. 8, the drive data of one block is configured by theidentification number and control information for a pair of motorsprovided on the left and right sides in the drive device 1. The numberof bits in the drive data of one block is always constant. Therefore,the time required for the transmission of the drive data of one block isalso constant.

The reception data judgement circuit 17 judges the identification numberof the reception data given from the reception circuit 16 to give thejudgement result to the control circuit 10. The control circuit 10controls the operations of the transmission circuit 14 and the outputtiming generation circuit 15 based on the information given from thereception data judgement circuit 17, the identification number settingswitch 12, and the input circuit 13. The control circuit 10 judgeswhether radio interference occurs and sets the timing for outputting thetransmit data of itself based on the identification number of thereceived data given from the reception data juegement circuit 17 and theown identification number set by the identification number settingswitch 12. Then, the control circuit 10 sets the timer setting value forthe output timing generation circuit 15 according to the set outputtiming. Further, the control circuit 10 generates the drive data for thedrive device 1 having the same identification number as the own numberbased on the information given from the identification number settingswitch 12 and the input circuit 13, and the control circuit 10 outputsthe drive data to the transmission circuit 14.

Each of the transmission circuit 14, the output timing generationcircuit 15, the reception circuit 16, and the reception data judgementcircuit 17 can be configured as a logic circuit or configured bycombining a microcomputer and a predetermined program as the controlcircuit 10. It is possible that at least one of the output timinggeneration circuit 15 and the reception data judgement circuit 17 isintegrated with the control circuit 10.

FIG. 9 shows the circuit configuration of a control system mounted onthe drive device 1. A remote-control signal light-reception unit 34provided in the drive device 1 receives the infrared or the liketransmitted from the transmitter 2 and outputs the signals, in which thecarrier component is removed from the received infrared or the like, toa reception circuit 35. The reception circuit 35 decodes the signalsgiven from the remote-control signal light-reception unit 34 into thedrive data of one block to output the drive data to a control circuit37. The drive data of one block is as shown in FIG. 8. The controlcircuit 37 judges the identification number of the reception data givenfrom the reception circuit 35. The control circuit 37 compares theidentification number with the identification number set by theidentification number setting switch 38 to judge whether the data isvalid or invalid. That is, when the identification numbers are differentfrom each other, the control circuit 37 judges that the drive data isinvalid and the control circuit 37 does not generate the drive signalsfor the motor in the drive device 1. On the contrary, when theidentification numbers are identical to each other, the control circuit37 determines a rotational direction and rotational speed of the motorin the drive device 1 based on motor control information of the drivedata given from the reception circuit 35, and the control circuit 37outputs the motor drive signals corresponding to the determined value tomotor drive circuits 39 and 39. Each motor drive circuit 39 controls therotation of the motor in the drive device 1 based on the given motordrive signals. Note that an identification number setting switch 38 canbe configured to select an arbitrary identification number from apredetermined range determined by the operator or the system manager, orto fix previously to the specified number by the manufacturer of thetransmitter 2. A power switch 40 is also connected to the controlcircuit 37.

In the remote-control system of this embodiment, while each transmitter2 receives remote-control signals transmitted from another transmitter2, each transmitter 2 specifies the timing to transmit theremote-control signal. As a result, each transmitter 2 providessynchronization of the transmission timing not to overlap thetransmission timing of each transmitter 2 with each other. This pointwill be described below.

FIG. 10 shows the transmission timing which is provided when fourtransmitters 2 are simultaneously used. In FIG. 10, a time interval whenone transmitter 2 transmits the remote-control signal is T, and eachtransmitter 2 repeatedly transmits the remote-control signal in a periodcorresponding to the number of transmitters 2×transmission time intervalT (=4T). The transmission timing of each transmitter 2 is sequentiallyshifted from one another by T from the identification number 1. Eachtransmitter 2 manages the transmission timing according to theabove-described relationship. This allows the transmission timeintervals of the four transmitters 2 not to overlap one another. Inorder to realize this transmission control, for example, for thetransmitter 2 having the identification number 2 of FIG. 10, thetransmission timing may be controlled as follows:

When the transmitter 2 having the identification number 2 receives thedata of the identification number 1 at a time t1, the transmitter 2having the identification number 2 starts to output the transmit data ofitself and finishes the output of the own transmit data at a time t2.When the transmitter 2 having the identification number 2 finishes thetransmission, the transmitter 2 having the identification number 2checks the reception data of the reception circuit 16 (see FIG. 7) toconfirm that the interference of the signals does not occur. Then, thetransmitter 2 having the identification number 2 sets a transmit timerfor counting the next output timing after 3T and starts the timer count.

Then, when the power of the transmitter 2 having the identificationnumber 1 is turned off, or when the transmitter 2 having theidentification number 2 can not receive the data from the transmitter 2having the identification number 1 due to noise or the like, thetransmitter 2 having the identification number 2 can start to output theown data at the time when the count of the transmit timer proceeds bytime T after the reception of the data of the identification number 4.Further, even if the transmitter 2 having the identification number 2can not receive the signals from other transmitters 2, the transmitter 2having the identification number 2 can continue the output of thetransmit data in the period 4T by utilizing the time 3T which is set tothe transmit timer in finishing the transmission of the own data.

Although the case of the four transmitters 2 was described in this case,similarly the transmission timing can be controlled even in the case offive and more transmitters 2 by adding the identification number. Theperiod of the transmission timing of each transmitter 2 becomes N×T (Nis the number of transmitters) However, it is possible that a blankinterval in which any transmitter does not transmit the data is insertedinto between the intervals in which each transmitter 2 transmits thedata, thereby the whole period may be set longer than NT.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the procedure of a power-on operationexecuted by the control circuit 10 in the transmitter 2 from turning thepower on to the start of the transmission of the own data. When thepower is turned on, the timer for time over is first set (Step S1).Then, the control circuit 10 judges whether the data from othertransmitters 2 has been received (Step S2). When the data from othertransmitters 2 has been received, the control circuit judges whether theidentification number of the received data is identical to theidentification number set to the paired transmitter 2 (Step S3). Whenthe identification number of the received data is identical to theidentification number set to the transmitter 2 of itself, the procedurereturns to Step S1 to repeat the judgment operation. Accordingly, theinterference is prevented in the case where there are pluraltransmitters 2 having the same identification numbers. When theidentification number of the received data is not identical to theidentification number set to the transmitter 2 of itself in Step 3, thecontrol circuit 10 sets the own output timing according to theidentification numbers of other transmitters 2 (Step S4). For example,when the transmitter 2 having the identification number 2 of FIG. 6receives the data of the identification number 3, the transmitter 2having the identification number 2 sets the own output timing to comeafter 2T time intervals.

Then, the control circuit 10 judges whether the timer set in Step S1expires (Step S5). When the timer does not expire, the procedure returnsto Step S2. When the timer expires, the transmitter 2 of theidentification number 2 starts to transmit the own data (Step S6).However, the transmitter 2 of the identification number 2 actuallystarts to output the own data at the timing set in Step S4 comes. Whenthe transmitter 2 having the identification number 2 does not receivedthe data until the timer expires, it is the case of single operation,i.e. there is no other transmitters 2, so that the control circuit 10immediately starts the data transmission in Step S6.

When the process of Step S6 is finished, the control circuit 10 controlsthe data transmission according to the procedure of the normal operationin FIG. 12. In the normal operation, the control circuit 10 judgeswhether the data from other transmitters 2 is received (Step S11). Whenreceived, the control circuit 10 judges whether the identificationnumber of the received data is identical to the identification numberset in itself (Step S12). When identical, the procedure returns thepower-on operation of FIG. 11. When the identification number of thereceived data is not identical to the identification number set initself, the control circuit 10 sets the output timing of itself to thetransmit timer according to the identification number of the receiveddata (Step S13). Then, the control circuit 10 judges whether thetransmit timer expires (Step S14). The procedure returns to Step S1until the transmit timer expires.

When the control circuit 10 judges that the transmit timer expires inStep S4, the transmitter 2 of the identification number 2 starts totransmit the own data (Step S15). At this moment, the transmitter 2 ofthe identification number 2 simultaneously receives the data. Then, thecontrol circuit 10 judges whether the data transmission is finished(Step S16). When the data transmission is finished, the control circuit10 compares the transmitted data with the simultaneously received data(Step S17). When the transmitted data is not identical to thesimultaneously received data, it is judged that the interference occurs,then, the procedure goes back to the power-on operation of FIG. 7. Whenthe transmitted data is identical to the simultaneously received data,it is judged that there is no interference, so that the control circuit10 sets the next output timing to the transmit timer (Step S18). Afterthat, the procedure returns to Step S1.

The remote-control system in the present invention is not limited to theabove-described embodiment, and can be executed in various modes. Forexample, the drive device is not limited to the automobile, and thedrive device may be the object which mimics various moving bodies suchas a tank, a hovercraft, and a submarine. The transmitter may be ahand-held type or a stationary type. A particular program is installedin a portable device such as a portable game machine or a mobile phoneto function the portable device as the transmitter.

FIG. 2A shows an example of the configuration of the play facility inthe present invention. The play facility 67 has an almostrectangular-solid chassis 50. The circuit course 66 is provided as theplay field on the upper surface of the chassis 50 and the stations 56 .. . 56 are provided on the side face of the chassis 50 so that theplayers can look over the circuit course 66. The circuit course 51 inthe circuit field 66 is configured to be a road course including onecontrol line 57 which is of a start point and a finish point and threecorner points 53 . . . 53. The shape of the circuit course 51 is formedby a course wall 52 a and a peripheral wall 52 b provided on peripherieson the upper surface of the chassis 50. Each of sensors for reading areed switch 120 mounted on the drive device 1 is individually installedin each of the corner points 53 . . . 53 and the control line 57 in thecircuit course 51.

The reed switch 120 means the device which transmits the identificationinformation which each drive device 1 has, and the reed switch 120 maybe a barcode or the like as long as the drive device 1 participating therace can be specified. Further, the reed switch may be built in thedrive device 1 or may be attached to the outside of the body.

The sensors installed in the circuit course read the reed switch 120mounted on the drive device 1 to specify the drive device 1, when thedrive device 1 passes through necessary passage areas 54 . . . 54 and 57in the course. The necessary areas 54 . . . 54, and 57 mean the areawhere the drive device 1 must pass through in the race.

In this embodiment, the form of the circuit course 51 is not limited tothis embodiment, such as an oval course, a street course, or the like.Some sensors for reading the reed switch may be added in addition to thesensors installed in the corner points 53 . . . 53 and the control line57.

The player performs the remote control with the transmitter 2 at thestations 56 . . . 56. Station numbers 1 to 4 are numbered to thestations 56 . . . 56, and the stations 56 . . . 56 are horizontallyarranged along the side face located on the front face of the chassis50. The station numbers 1 to 4 correspond to the identification numbers1 to 4 of the remote-control system in this embodiment respectively.That is, when the remote-control system of the identification number 1is operated, the player operates the remote-control at the station ofwhich the station number is 1. With respect to the installation place ofthe stations 56, the stations 56 . . . 56 are integrated with thechassis 50 in this embodiment. However, the installation place of thestations 56 is not limited to this embodiment. It is possible that thestations 56 . . . 56 are separated from the chassis 50, or it ispossible that the stations 56 . . . 56 are arranged so as to surroundthe circuit field 66. The installation number of stations 56 can beproperly changed up to the number in which the transmitters can besimultaneously used in the same play facility according toidentification information of the remote-control system to which theinvention is applied.

FIG. 2B shows an expanded view of the station 56. A panel screen 60, adrive data input unit 62, a transmitter installation unit 63, and a coininput unit 65 are provided in each station. One end of a code 64 isconnected to the drive data input unit 62. The transmitter output unit61 in the transmitter 2 of the player is connected to one end which isnot connected to the station 56. This is because the drive data outputfrom the transmitter 2 is sent to the circuit field 67 through the drivedata input unit 62.

The boosters 55 . . . 55 whose output ports are orientated toward thecircuit course 51 are provided at several places of the circuit course51. The scramble signals or the drive data output from the transmitter 2is output from the boosters 55 . . . 55. The scramble signal means thesignal to interfere with the remote control of the drive device 1 withthe transmitter 2. While the boosters 55 . . . 55 are provided at fourcorners of the circuit course 51 in this embodiment, the installationplace and the installation number of boosters 55 . . . 55 may bearranged so that the signal and the data output from the booster 55reach the whole of the circuit field 66 including all the stations, andthe installation place and the installation number of boosters 55 . . .55 can be properly changed according to a size of the circuit course 51or intensity of the output from the boosters 55 . . . 55.

The circuit field 66 also includes a notice board 58 for displaying raceinformation and speakers 59, 59 for performing sound effect. The noticeboard 58 and the speakers 59 and 59 are orientated toward the side ofthe stations 56 . . . 56.

The configuration of a control system circuit provided in the playfacility 67 and the flow of the signal or the data in each control willbe described below.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of a control circuit 100included in the play facility 67. The play facility 67 includes thecontrol circuit 100 which controls the data dealt with by the playfacility 67. The control circuit 100 is connected to a medal selector101, a reed switch read unit 53, display devices 58 and 60, a mainmemory unit 102, an external memory unit 103, and a switching circuit104. The switching circuit 104 is connected to a scramble signalgeneration unit 106, the drive data input units 62 . . . 62, a relaycircuit 107, and the signal output units 55 in addition to the controlcircuit 100. Switches 105 . . . 105 for changing output modes from thesignal output units 55 are provided in the switching circuit 104. Thedrive data input units 62 . . . 62 and the switches 105 . . . 105respectively correspond one-to-one with the identification number of theremote-control system in this embodiment.

In the play facility 67, the mode of the switch 105 is set to the outputmode of the scramble signals until the remote control is permitted, andthe scramble signals are output from the signal output unit 55.Therefore, the drive device 1 can not be remote-controlled with thetransmitter 2 in the play facility 67.

The medal selector 101 outputs the data concerning the dropped medal tothe control circuit 100. For example, the identification number of thestation 56 in which the predetermined amout of medals is dropped isoutput as the identification number in which the remote control shouldbe permitted. The control circuit 100 directs the switching circuit 104to switch to the output signal corresponding to the identificationnumber to which remote control is permitted. In the switching circuit104, according to the direction, the switch 105 corresponding to theidentification number seitches from the output mode of the scramblesignal to the termination mode. The drive data corresponding to theidentification number, which is input from the drive data input unit 62,is relayed to the signal output units 55 . . . 55 through the relaycircuit 107. In the relay circuit 107, it is also possible to amplifythe relayed drive data. Therefore, instead of the scramble signals, thedrive data to mean the remote control is permitted is output from thesignal output units 55 . . . 55. Then, for example after a predeterminedtime has elapsed, when the direction of prohibiting the remote controlcorresponding to the identification number is provided from the controlcircuit 100 to the switching circuit 104, the relay circuit 107terminates the relay of the drive data corresponding to theidentification number. The switch 105 is changed to the scramble signaloutput mode, and the switch 105 outputs the scramble signalcorresponding to the identification number to the signal output units 55. . . 55. Consequently, the remote control can not be performed with theidentification number.

The drive data input unit 62 transmits the drive data to the switchingcircuit 104 in order to output the drive data output from thetransmitter 2 onto the circuit course 51 according to the control by thecontrol circuit 100.

The scramble signal is generated in this scramble signal generation unit106. The scramble signal in this embodiment has the same data structureas the drive data shown in FIG. 8, the identification number is theidentification number of the transmitter 2 which is the subject of theinterference of the remote control, and the control informationrepresents information to be uncontrollable. With respect to the controlinformation which makes the drive device 1 uncontrollable, for example,it is thought that speed information included in the control informationis set to zero, and the value in excess of a predetermined maximum speedis set as the maximum speed, or the like. As shown in FIG. 11, when thetransmitter 2 receives the own identification number after turning thepower on, the transmitter 2 suspends the transmission of the own drivedata, so that the generated signal becomes the signal which prevents thetransmission of the drive data from the transmitter 2.

As described above, it is possible that the installation number of drivedata input units 62 . . . 62 and the installation number of switches 105. . . 105 are provided corresponding one-to-one with the identificationnumbers of the remote-control system. The installation number of drivedata input units 62 . . . 62 and the installation number of switches 105. . . 105 can be properly changed according to the remote-control systemto which the invention is applied. While the four signal output units 55. . . 55 are provided, as described above, the number of signal outputunits 55 can be properly changed depending on the intensity of theoutput of the boosters 55 . . . 55 or the size of the circuit course 51.For example, when the control circuit 100 has the function of amplifyingthe drive data output from the transmitter 2, the installation number ofboosters can be reduced without changing the intensity of the outputfrom the transmitter 2.

In this embodiment, the drive data output from the transmitter 2 isoutput from the signal output units 55 . . . 55 according to the controlof the control circuit 100, but the invention is not limited to thisembodiment. When the output from the transmitter 2 is sufficientlystrong, it is possible that only the scramble signal is output from thesignal output unit 55 and the switching circuit 104 has only thefunction of switching whether the scramble signal is output. It is alsopossible to provide only the relay circuit 107 without utilizing thescramble signal in this embodiment, and whether the input drive data isrelayed to the signal output unit 55 may correspond to the controlwhether the remote control is permitted.

In this embodiment, the condition for terminating the output of thescramble signal is that the predetermined amount of medals is dropped.However, the invention is not limited to the embodiment. For example,other conditions can be also set such that the permission of the remotecontrol is given to only a player having the excellent result. Further,according to the amout of the dropped medals, it is also possible to setthe time when the player can use the circuit course 51.

The reed switch read unit 53 reads the data of the reed switch mountedon the drive device 1 through the sensors installed in the corners 53 .. . 53 and control line 57 of the circuit course 51. On the basis of thedata, the control circuit 100 can grasp when the drive device 1 passesthrough which point or what number the drive device 1 is running, andthe control circuit 100 performs race management in conjunction with themain memory device. The race management means the management concerningthe race such as timing of a rap time, determination of a race rank,record of a race result, payment of penalty for the case in which thedrive device 1 does not pass through the necessary passage area.

The result history of the player is stored in the external memory device103, and the control circuit 100 can read the result history of theplayer from the external memory device 103 to reflect the result historyto the race result or switch control of the switches 105 . . . 105 inthe switching circuit 104. The control circuit 100 properly outputs tothe display device 58, 60 contents, which should be notified tocustomers and players, such as directions of the operation to playersand a race status.

Further, it is possible that a medal refund unit is connected to thecontrol circuit 100. This allows the refund of the medal to be performedto the higher-ranking players of the race according to the result of thegame. Adjustment of the amount of refund can enhance player's interestand always secure profits for the side to install the play facility 67.

It is also possible that the control circuit 100 and the switchingcircuit 104 are configured as the logic circuit, or it is also possiblethat the control circuit 100 and the switching circuit 104 areconfigured by combination with middleware and software.

FIG. 4 is the flow chart showing the procedure of the switch controlexecuted by the control circuit 100 included in the play facility. InStep S70, the control circuit 100 judges whether the medal has beendropped. When the control circuit 100 judges that the medal has beendropped, the procedure proceeds to Step S71, and the control circuit 100judges whether the number of medals is a predetermined number of medals.When the control circuit 100 dose not judge that the medal has beendropped, the control circuit 100 waits until the medal is dropped. InStep 71, when the control circuit 100 judges that the number of droppedmedals is a predetermined number of medals, the procedure proceeds toStep S72. When the number of dropped medals is not a predeterminednumber of medals, the procedure returns Step S70 to wait for the medalto be dropped.

In Step S72, the control circuit 100 judges whether the drive dataoutput from the transmitter is input. When the control circuit 100 doesnot confirm that the drive data is input, since there is a possibilitythat the transmitter is not connected to the code or the identificationnumber is already used in the play, the notification is displayed on thepanel 60 of the station in Step S73. When the control circuit 100 judgesthat the drive data is input in Step S72, the procedure proceeds to StepS74 to switch the switches 105 . . . 105 corresponding to theidentification number to the drive data output mode. Then, in Step S75,the drive data is output from the signal output unit 55 and the playercan start the game concerning the remote-control system.

In Step S76, the control circuit 100 judges whether the game finishesuntil the control circuit 100 judges that the game finishes. When thecontrol circuit 100 judges that the game finishes, the procedureproceeds to Step S77. In Step S77, the switches 105 . . . 105corresponding to the identification number is switched from the drivedata output to the scramble signal output, and the procedure proceeds toStep S78. In Step S78, the control circuit 100 causes the signal outputunit 55 to output the scramble signals, after that the procedure returnsto Step S70 to become a medal dropping standby state.

FIG. 5 is the flow chart showing the procedure of the game controlexecuted by the control circuit 100 included in the play facility 67.When one player makes an entry into the game, an entry timer is set inStep S80. The control circuit 100 repeats Step S81 and Step S82 untilthe entry timer expires to wait for another player's entry. In Step S83,the control circuit 100 judges whether one player makes the entry intothe game. When the control circuit 100 judges that one player makes theentry into the game, the procedure proceeds to Step S84 to perform timeattack control. When the control circuit 100 judges that at least twoplayers make the entry into the game, the procedure proceeds to Step S85to perform race control. The time attack is the game for competing aboutrap time when the drive device 1 runs on the course unlike the gamewhere the plurality of drive devices 1 run on the course at the sametime. When each game finishes, the control circuit 100 judges whetherthe refund of the medal is required in Step S86. When the controlcircuit 100 judges that the refund of the medal is required, theprocedure proceeds to Step S87. After the refund of the medal isperformed in Step 88, the game is finished. When the control circuit 100judges that the refund of the medal is not required in step 86, the gameis directly finished.

In this embodiment, the four drive devices 1 can make the entry into onerace at the maximum corresponding to the four types of theidentification information of the remote-control system. However, thenumber of drive devices 1 which can make the entry into the race can beproperly changed depending on the remote-control system to which theinvention is applied.

It is also possible that the player can select the race type game or thetime attack type game at the moment of his/her entry without the entrytime.

In the race control, qualifying races are performed before a final race,and a pole position (start grid) in the final game may be determineddepending on the result of the qualifying game. The play facility 67 canbe also configured to be the field where the drive devices freely runwithout taking place games for competing a rap time or a running rank.

The embodiment of the invention is not limited to the described above.The play facility can be realized in various designs, such as a battlefield when the drive device 1 is a tank of as a filed utilizing waterwhen the drive device 1 is a hovercraft or a submarine.

While the drive device 1 is controlled with the infrared in thisembodiment, the similar play facility can be configured in the casewhere the drive device 1 is controlled with the radio wave. For example,in the case of the remote-control system in which the plurality of drivedevices 1 can be simultaneously controlled by dividing the frequencyinto plural bands, by outputting the interference radio wave for eachband, the control for the use of the play facility can be available inthe same manner as this embodiment. Further, both the control usinginfrared and the control using radio wave can be performed at the sametime.

As described above, according to the invention, the play facility can beinstalled, in which the personal use remote-control toy can be operatedin large-scale facilities away from day-to-day life and the acquiredplay skills can be exhibited on the commercial facility, and further, bywhich profits can be expected also on the side to provide the facility.

1. A play facility for a remote-control system to provide a play fieldfor the remote-control system including a transmitter and a drive deviceremote-controlled by drive data transmitted from the transmitter, theplay facility comprising: a scramble signal generating device whichgenerates scramble signals which interfere with the remote control ofthe drive device by the transmitter; a scramble signal outputting devicewhich outputs the scramble signals to the play field; and a scramblesignal control device which switches between output and termination ofthe scramble signals from the scramble signal outputting deviceaccording to predetermined conditions.
 2. The play facility according toclaim 1, wherein the scramble signal control device determines whetherthe predetermined conditions are satisfied, and the scramble signalcontrol device terminates the output of the scramble signals when thepredetermined conditions are satisfied.
 3. The play facility accordingto claim 1, further comprising: a drive data relay device which inputsthe drive data output from the transmitter, determines whether thepredetermined conditions are satisfied, and outputs the drive datatoward the play field when the predetermined condition is satisfied. 4.The play facility according to claim 3, wherein the scramble signalcontrol device has an output switching device which selectively switchesbetween relay of the drive data by the drive data relay device andoutput of the scramble signal toward the play field according to thepredetermined conditions.
 5. The play facility according to claim 1,wherein the remote-control system has a plurality of drive devices, andeach drive device is remote-controlled individually by each of aplurality of transmitters, each corresponding to each of the drivedevices, the drive data transmitted by each of the plurality oftransmitters includes identification information, which is unique toeach transmitter for identifying the transmitter, and controlinformation for controlling the drive device, and each of the pluralityof drive devices compares the identification information included in thereceived drive data with identification information allocated to thedrive device to determine whether the received drive data is the drivedata transmitted to the drive device, and performs an operation controlbased on the drive data when the received drive data is the drive datatransmitted to the drive device.
 6. The play facility according to claim5, wherein the scramble signal generating device generates the scramblesignals for interfering with the remote control by the transmitter towhich particular identification information is allocated.
 7. The playfacility according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality oftransmitters comprises: a device which receives the drive datatransmitted from other transmitters; a transmission timing device whichsets transmission timing of the drive data of the transmission timingdevice based on the identification information included in the receiveddrive data, and transmits the drive data according to the settransmission timing; and a suspending device which determines whetherthe identification information included in the drive data transmittedfrom other transmitters is identical to the identification informationset in the transmitter, and suspends the setting of the transmissiontiming by the timing setting device until the drive data including theidentification information different from the identification informationin the suspending device is received, when the identificationinformation included in the drive data transmitted from othertransmitters is identical to the identification information set in thetransmitter, wherein the scramble signals includes the identificationinformation.
 8. The play facility according to claim 2, wherein thescramble signal control device terminates the output of the scramblesignals within a range according to a dropped value.
 9. A play facilityfor a remote-control system to provide a play field for theremote-control system including a transmitter and a drive deviceremote-controlled by drive data transmitted from the transmitter, theplay facility comprising: a drive data inputting device which inputs thedrive data output from the transmitter; a drive data outputting devicewhich outputs the drive data toward the play field; and a drive datarelay device which relays the drive data input by the drive datainputting device to the drive data outputting device, when predeterminedconditions are satisfied.
 10. The play facility according to claim 9,wherein the remote-control system has a plurality of drive devices, andeach drive device is remote-controlled individually by each of aplurality of transmitters, each corresponding to each of the drivedevices, the drive data transmitted by each of the plurality oftransmitters includes identification information, which is unique toeach transmitter for identifying the transmitter, and controlinformation for controlling the drive device, and each of the pluralityof drive devices compares the identification information included in thereceived drive data with identification information allocated to thedrive device to determine whether the received drive data is the drivedata transmitted to the drive device, and performs operation controlbased on the drive data when the received drive data is the drive datatransmitted to the drive device.
 11. The play facility according toclaim 10, wherein the drive data relay device relays the drive datahaving particular identification information to the drive dataoutputting device.
 12. The play facility according to claim 9, whereinthe drive data relay device relays the drive data within a rangeaccording to a dropped value.
 13. The play facility according to claim5, wherein, when a predetermined race take places with the plurality ofdrive devices in the play field, the drive device has a transmissionsource which transmits the identification information allocated to thedriving device, the play field has at least one reception terminal toreceive contents of the transmission at least at one predeterminedplace, and the remote-control system has a race management device whichjudges whether each of the drive devices participating in the racepasses through the predetermined places based on the data received bythe reception terminals, and manages data concerning wins and losses ofthe race
 14. The play facility according to claim 13, wherein the racemanagement device returns a refund of the value according to the resultof the race.